Essays, Fiction, Poetry
The Drift
The Drift pays $2,000 for essays. Compare its pitch, fiction, poetry and Mentions requirements, payment rates and official submission inboxes.
🟢 Currently accepting Verified 2026-10
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 304-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- $2,000 essays; $500–$1,000 stories; $150 poems; $25 MentionsOf the other 51 records based in the United States that state a flat-fee figure, 45 state less, 2 state more, 4 state exactly this.
- Length
- Essays: 2–4 paragraph pitch; fiction: no word limit; Mentions: 150-word reviews
- Who can submit
- Not statedNo stated country restriction.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- Not statedNo response time recorded. A follow-up after two to three weeks is reasonable; silence past that is a soft no, not a rejection.
- Simultaneous submissions
- Not statedThe guideline does not address simultaneous submissions. BRYME records that as silence rather than assuming a yes: if you are sending the same piece to several publications, say so in your cover letter and withdraw it everywhere the moment it is taken.
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 162 of the 304 publications on this desk state their terms. This one does not. Ask what rights you are assigning, for how long and for what territory, before you sign anything.
- Experience
- Not statedThe guideline sets no experience requirement. BRYME records that as silence, not as a welcome — a first-time writer is not excluded, but nor are they invited.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 6 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Who can submit — the guideline leaves this open, so ask before you spend an evening on the pitch rather than assuming a yes.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Response time — expect to wait blind, and keep other pitches live.
- Simultaneous submissions — the guideline leaves this open, so declare it in your cover letter rather than assuming.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
- Experience — look at what kind of writer this publication normally publishes before you pitch; its guideline does not say.
Record last human-checked 2026-10-09. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records based in the United States quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- $2,000 essays; $500–$1,000 stories; $150 poems; $25 Mentions
- Word count
- Essays: 2–4 paragraph pitch; fiction: no word limit; Mentions: 150-word reviews
- Submission
- Email the correct section editor; pitch nonfiction first
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Currently accepting
- Last verified
- 2026-10
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Essays, Fiction, Poetry. Official guideline: The Drift guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Longform essays and cultural criticism
- New work from younger writers
- Interviews, dispatches, and extremely abbreviated reviews
Subjects they avoid
- Draft nonfiction submissions: pitch first.
- Personal essays, straightforward reviews narrowly focused on one book or film, and anything written by AI.
Key requirements
- Nonfiction: one 2–4 paragraph pitch at a time.
- Fiction: attach a Word document or PDF named lastname_firstname.
- Poetry: up to six poems in one Word document or PDF; no more than twice per year.
- Mentions: topic in subject; name, relevant clips and a 1–4 sentence draft in email.
Who can submit
No stated country restriction.
Rights
Not stated in detail on the public page.
AI policy
Prohibited
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Accepting submissions now, with no stated closing date.
How to submit
Email the correct section editor; pitch nonfiction first
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Email the correct section editor; pitch nonfiction first
- Submission email: pitches@thedriftmag.com
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Essays: pitches@thedriftmag.com. Do not send a full nonfiction draft.
- Fiction: fiction@thedriftmag.com.
- Poetry: poetry@thedriftmag.com.
- Mentions: mentions@thedriftmag.com.
What happens after submission
Expected response: They read and respond to every pitch; may take time
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-10.